Corallorhiza

Calypsoeae

Obligate saprophytes arising from a coral-like rhizome. Inflorescences erect, long-scapose racemes, the floral bracts inconspicuous. Flowers cupped. Sepals and petals free, spreading, subsimilar, subequal. Lip unlobed, with a pair of central keels. Column lightly arching, without wings or a foot; pollinia 4, naked. Pedicel narrow, clearly distinguishable from the ovary.

From the Greek korallion, meaning coral, and riza, meaning root, in reference to the brittle, coral-like subterranean parts.

A genus of 15 species in North America and Mesoamerica with one panboreal species.

Coleman, R. A. 1988. The coral root orchids of California. Fremontia 16(3):21-23.

Coleman, R. A. 1991. A fourth coral root in California. Fremontia 19(1):22-23.

Freudenstein, J. V. 1987. A preliminary study of Corallorhiza maculata (Orchidaceae) in eastern North America. Contr. Univ. Michigan Herb. 16:145-154.

Freudenstein, J. V. 1996. (1269) Proposal to conserve the Corallorhiza Gagnebin (Orchidaceae) with a conserved spelling. Taxon 45:695-696.

Freudenstein, J. V. 1997. A monograph of Corallorhiza (Orchidaceae). Harvard Pap. Bot. 10:5-51.

Freudenstein, J. V. 1999. A new species of Corallorhiza (Orchidaceae) from West Virginia, U.S.A. Novon 9:511-513.

Freudenstein, J. V. and J. J. Doyle 1994. Plastid DNA, morphological variation, and the phylogenetic species concept -- the Corallorhiza maculata (Orchidaceae) complex. Syst. Bot. 19:273-290.

Magrath, L. K. and J. L. Norman 1989. Nomenclatural notes on Calopogon, Corallorhiza and Cypripedium (Orchidaceae) in the Great Plains region. Sida 13:371-372.

Malhotra, C. L. and B. Balodi 1984(1985). A new species of Corallorhiza Gagnebin from Gori Valley. Bull. Bot. Surv. India 26(1-2):108-109.

Salazar, G. A. and J. V. Freudenstein 1998. Identity and typification of Corallorhiza punctata and C. bulbosa (Orchidaceae). Taxon 47(1):51-54.

Zelmer, C. D. and R. S. Currah 1995. Evidence for a fungal liason between Corallorhiza trifida (Orchidaceae) and Pinus contorta (Pinaceae). Canad. J. Bot. 73:862-866.